Briefings and responses

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.

The housing shortage is one of the most pressing issues we face. Councils have a key role in delivering more affordable housing and helping to build 300,000 homes a year. The last time this country built more than 250,000 homes a year, councils delivered more than 40 per cent of them

"Over recent years councils have created an extra 800,000 new school places. This is a demonstrable record that shows they are doing everything they can to rise to the challenge of ensuring no child goes without a place."

The LGA does not support the proposal to include major shale gas production projects in the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) regime. This will bypass the locally democratic planning system.

The LGA does not support the proposal for a permitted development right for shale gas exploration. This will bypass the locally democratic planning system.

"The LGA supports the proposed new electoral law and any additional efforts to tackle the intimidation of local political candidates."

Adult social care is a crucial service in its own right that transform peoples’ quality of life. However, years of significant underfunding coupled with rising demand and costs for care and support, have combined to push adult social care services to breaking point.

It is fantastic that the Government has accepted our long-standing call to scrap the housing borrowing cap. This demonstrates the Government’s willingness to make councils central to solving the national housing crisis. We would welcome clarity on when this will be implemented, and urge that this should be as soon as possible.

We want the continued implementation of Universal Credit to be a success. Equally crucially we want the reformed welfare system as a whole to be a success, not just for Government, but for councils and, most importantly, for the people using it.

Right now councils are housing 77,000 families and 125,000 homeless children in temporary accommodation, with a further million on waiting lists. The last time the country built enough homes councils built 40 per cent of them. We urgently need a renaissance in council house building.