Briefings and responses

This response has been informed by extensive discussions with representatives of councils and from the evidence and learning from the two major piloting areas, Sheffield and Gloucestershire.

Building cohesive communities can only be successful with an in-depth understanding of that locality. Councils’ position at the heart of their communities, provides them with a unique vantage point and the knowledge to both respond, and build resilience, to integration challenges, alongside local partners.

Councils are just about managing to keep leisure facilities running but in many cases, these facilities are coming to the end of their lifespan. In 2017, we highlighted figures that showed that 60 per cent of swimming pools are now more than 20 years old.

Whilst announcements of new funds are welcome, this should not replace the core funding required to support integral local government services.

In the two and a half years since the Grenfell Tower fire, councils have worked with the Government to identify dangerous Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding on both social and private housing blocks.

The draft Domestic Abuse Bill, published in January 2019, has the potential to make important changes to help improve the lives of victims. Our ultimate aim should be preventing this abuse from occurring in the first place.

The LGA has called for the Government to introduce a mandatory levy on the gambling industry to fund research, education and treatment. This view is supported by other organisations, including GambleAware, the charity responsible for minimising gambling-related harm.

There are over 125,000 women in England and Wales estimated to be living with the consequences of FGM.

This is the Local Government Association’s response to the Government’s consultation on its draft statutory guidance to accompany the new statutory duty placed on local authorities to deliver domestic abuse support within safe accommodation.

It is important to acknowledge that the coronavirus outbreak is a particularly worrying time for victims of domestic abuse. In particular, the social-distancing measures required could have a serious effect on domestic abuse victims and increase exposure to those perpetrating the crime.