The LGA's media office provides the national voice of local government in England and Wales on the major issues of the day for national, regional and local press.
Already stretched councils in England will see the core central government funding they use to pay for vital services like collecting bins, filling potholes, protecting children and caring for elderly and disabled people, cut in half over the next two years.
As the country prepares for ice and snowy conditions this weekend, councils are urging households to show extra vigilance and ensure vulnerable friends, neighbours and relatives are safe as the big freeze bites.
“Fundamental changes to the way we fund adult social care are needed if we are to deliver a long-term sustainable system that works for everyone in society"
Council planning departments are set to miss out on an extra £70 million by the end of the financial year, ‘hampering’ their ability to process applications, if the Government does not urgently bring forward measures to increase planning fees, the LGA warns today.
“It’s heart-breaking to think of any child experiencing homelessness, especially at Christmas, which is why councils are focused on trying to prevent homelessness happening in the first place."
"Expectant mothers, and our children, of whatever age, need to be able to live in safe communities and that includes making sure the air they breathe is as free from pollution as possible."
Council employees have been offered a two-year pay increase from 1 April 2018. The majority of employees - those on salaries starting at £19,430 per annum - would receive an uplift of 2 per cent on 1 April 2018 and a further 2 per cent on 1 April 2019, with those on lower salaries receiving higher increases.
“The LGA has long called for councils to be given greater freedom to borrow to build new homes and today’s Budget has taken a step towards that by lifting the housing borrowing cap for some councils."
“The announcement of the first new devolution deals in 20 months is encouraging and will benefit those living in the North of Tyne region and the West Midlands, but many more such deals are needed to reverse the growing sense of stalled progress and missed opportunities across much of the country.
“Councils want their residents to be able to enjoy ‘devolution delight’ rather than suffer ‘devolution deadlock’.
“The longer it takes to secure new devolution deals, the longer communities will have to wait to benefit from the opportunities currently available to areas where devolution has taken
“The LGA has long called for councils to be given greater freedom to borrow to build new homes and today’s Budget has taken a step towards that by lifting the housing borrowing cap for some councils. This is an important recognition of our argument about the vital role that councils must play to boost homes for local families in need and solve our housing crisis.
“There are other measures in the Budget that will make a difference, especially more funding for Land Assembly, the Housing Infrastructure Fund and for SME builders. These are all measures councils have been making a case for.
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