Briefings and responses

This page summarises the Local Government Association (LGA) positions, priorities and concerns on the wide-ranging proposals in the white paper.

This briefing summarises the proposals of relevance to local government in the NHS consultation document and highlights the initial key messages, questions and concerns of the LGA. Our final response to the consultation will be informed by the views of our member authorities.

People can be vulnerable in a wide range of different ways. Councils are often at the forefront of understanding, mitigating and managing this complexity in their local communities.

Local government has collaborated with health and community partners to make the best use of resources, and ensure people receive the necessary advice and treatment when needed.

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.

The Health and Social Care Committee’s report correctly recognises the crucial role that local government has to play in ensuring children receive the support they need during the initial formative stage of life.

Despite councils’ good work, the current funding model is not sustainable. Local authorities’ public health grant funding has reduced by over £700 million in real terms between 2015/16 and 2019/20.

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.

We are strongly in favour of the duty to engage with patients, carers and representatives. We have committed to work with the Government, NHS, local government and patient and public voice organisations, to produce clear guidance to support local health and care systems to work in partnership with their communities.