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“Increased demand on social care services, underfunding, and the retention and recruitment of staff, have been linked to short care visits, which may not allow care workers enough time to help prepare a hot, nutritious meal."

Responding to the Government’s announcement creating an Office for Product Safety and Standards, Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: “The LGA is pleased that its call for more support from government for local trading standards teams around product safety has been answered. “Today’s announcement is a positive step towards making sure that those teams are able to protect our residents from faulty electrical equipment, such as tumble dryers or fridge freezers, which can cause fires which can destroy life and devastate

“Prioritising funding for the NHS over social care will not help reduce pressures on hospitals. Instead of making costly short-term bailouts to treat the symptoms of pressures, money would be better invested in treating the causes of these pressures."

"Councils want to protect and maintain the live music venues in their communities and this much-needed update to the planning rules will help achieve a fair and balanced solution between the obligations of housing developers and protecting our vital grassroots music scene."

New analysis by the Local Government Association reveals nearly one in 10 new homes over the last two years was converted from an office and included no affordable housing or supporting investment in infrastructure such as roads, schools and health services.

Council leaders are encouraging residents to check in on any elderly or vulnerable neighbours to make sure they’re not suffering in silence and have everything they need during the freezing weather.

“A relatively small number of councils are affected by the collapse of Carillion. They have been monitoring the situation closely and are implementing contingency plans to keep services running as normally as possible."

“Clearing up fly-tipping costs councils more than £57 million a year – money that could be spent on other services, like caring for the elderly, protecting children or tackling homelessness."

“We want to work with supermarkets and manufacturers so that we avoid having unrecyclable waste in the first place, and would urge them to switch to recyclable packaging where possible.”

“Councils must be part of the solution to our chronic housing shortage and able to resume their historic role as a major builder of affordable homes."