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“Government investment in our places and people is therefore key to supporting long term sustainable, inclusive economic growth which brings increased prosperity to every part of the country.”

“This survey paints a deeply concerning picture of the challenges faced by families with babies and young children. Rising levels of need and complexity, coupled with a decline in the health visiting workforce, are leaving many without the critical early support that can transform lives.

“Homelessness is one of the biggest and most urgent pressures facing local government. As more and more people turn to their council for support and councils have little choice but to resort to costly temporary accommodation, local authorities are spending less on funding homelessness prevention. "

The Government must go further with its reforms of Right to Buy (RTB) to give local authorities more flexibility and control over how the scheme operates locally amid rising demand to buy homes through the scheme since Autumn Budget discount changes, the Local Government Association says today.  With more than 123,000 households in temporary accommodation and more than 1.33 million households on a social housing waiting list, we are facing a chronic shortage of social housing. It has become increasingly impossible for local authorities to replace homes as quickly as they are being sold under

"We remain clear that local government reorganisation should be a matter for councils and local areas to decide."

“Extra funding for councils next year will help councils meet some - but not all - of the pressures they face in adult and children’s social care, homelessness prevention and support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities."

“We are pleased government is acting on a long-standing call by the LGA for councils to have and maintain Children Not in School registers.

A new report from the Local Government Association (LGA), SOLACE, and CIPFA calls for urgent reform of the local government funding system, highlighting that an outdated and complex funding model is hindering councils’ ability to plan effectively and meet the growing needs of their communities.

Planning is about creating communities linked with the right economic activity and public services, whilst conserving and enhancing the natural and local environment. Local democratic discretion and flexibility need to remain important elements of the planning system.

“In order to deliver more housing of a decent standard, councils need the right powers, skills, resources and funding to act and want to work with government and the development and housebuilding industry.”