News

Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board responds to the publication of the Government’s Integration Strategy.

Only with the right funding and powers can councils continue to make a difference to people’s lives by building desperately-needed homes, creating jobs and school places, filling potholes, maintaining parks and green spaces, running children’s centres, leisure centres and libraries, caring for elderly and disabled people and protecting children.

The amount of people using buses in England each year has fallen to its lowest level in a decade – down to 4.38 billion passenger journeys across the country in 2016/17.

Unveiled this morning at the LGA’s Fire Conference in Gateshead, the LGA’s Fire Vision 2024 calls for 30 per cent of new recruits to be women by the middle of the next decade. Currently only 5 per cent of firefighters are women.

"It’s positive to see the Government has allocated an £8 million fund towards support for children who witness domestic abuse, and help with their recovery through locally commissioned projects. However, considerably more must still be done."

“Despite significant funding and resource pressures, councils are fulfilling their commitments while also delivering effective budget management."

“We are pleased that the Government has listened to the concerns of the LGA, local councils and our partners across the public sector and decided against the introduction of mandatory reporting of child abuse."

“The truth is that councils are currently approving nine in 10 planning applications, which shows that the planning system is working well and is not a barrier to building."

"Councils are committed to ensuring that parents have access to high quality, flexible childcare so that all children get the best start in life, and have been working closely with local providers to try to make sure enough spaces are available for those who need them."

“Choosing care for a loved one is a major and often stressful decision - especially when they have to be made quickly – as it has health and wellbeing implications for the person who needs caring for."