Briefings and responses

In our response to the original consultation we raised serious concerns that the proposals could have unintended consequences, for example affecting councils’ ability to invest in infrastructure and housing via wholly owned companies and have serious impacts on some councils’ revenue budgets.

There is no hard evidence to support the argument that removing the flexibility for councils to charge will reduce the amount of fly-tipped waste.

Councils have demonstrated throughout the pandemic that they are uniquely placed to respond to local needs and reach their most vulnerable residents.

The Local Government Association (LGA) supports the overall aims of the Online Safety Bill (OSB), which makes provisions for Ofcom to regulate certain internet services.

While councils have a statutory duty to ensure there is a school place for every child, they are currently not able to direct academies to expand school places or admit individual pupils. We are seeking a commitment from Government redress this discrepancy between councils’ duties and powers as soon as reasonably possible, by providing councils with sufficient backstop powers to direct academies to expand school places and admit individual pupils, within six months of the Act passing.

The LGA support the Government’s ambition to protect consumers from unfair pricing by enabling an extension of the price cap beyond 2023

We are deeply concerned that the proposed risk-mitigation measures in clause 71 of the Bill potentially give the Secretary of State significant powers to intervene in a local authority. There is a danger that the formula-based approach outlined in the Bill could impact more widely than intended. It is vital that the Government undertakes full engagement with the sector, including full consultation before enacting the regulations arising from the Bill.

We broadly support measures that streamline and modernise the CPO process including flexibility surrounding the three-year time-limit in which a CPO can be used.

The previous reforms to the SEND system set out in the Children and Families Act 2014 have failed to achieve the goal of improving provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Placing children and young people at the centre of the SEND system was right, but the reforms set out in the Act were not supported by sufficient powers or funding to allow councils to meet the needs of children with SEND or hold health and education partners to account for their contributions to local SEND systems.

It is helpful to see Defra’s thinking on the scope of long-term environmental targets. As a next step, Defra needs to set out clear implementation plans with interim targets.