News

Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Resources Board, responds to the report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies on the devolution of local taxation to councils.

Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, responds to the National Evaluation of the Troubled Families Programme.

Referrals of potential victims of modern slavery made by councils have soared ninefold in five years, new figures show, highlighting the demands on local authority services already under significant pressure.

“Our survey shows that councils up and down the country want to build more good quality, affordable homes that meet the strategic housing needs of their local communities."

“With councils still facing a funding gap of more than £3 billion in 2019/20, it is disappointing that the Chancellor has missed the opportunity to use today’s Spring Statement to provide further desperately-needed funding for our under-pressure local services this year.

“Ahead of the forthcoming Spending Review, we are urging government to give councils control over the Bus Service Operators’ Grant, and properly fund national free bus pass schemes, which could help us maintain our essential bus services, reduce congestion and protect vital routes.”

“With a 26 per cent fall in apprenticeship starts between 2015/16 and 2017/18 and many employers still struggling to spend their funds nearly two years after the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy, further reform to enable greater local flexibility is desperately needed."

“The LGA has been clear all along around the need for additional funding to secure the future of maintained nursery schools and we are pleased the Government has acted on our concerns."

“Despite facing an overall funding gap of £8 billion by 2025, councils still spent more on those aged 0-5 than in any other area of public health, often exceeding the amount given to them by government."

Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the LGA’s Resources Board responds to the report by the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee on the future of high streets.