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A fresh approach is needed to sustain culture services in the future.

“Investing in local places is in the national interest and one of the most powerful tools of the levelling up agenda. We call on the Government to ensure that the Spending Review provides both long term certainty and greater levels of funding for local councils.”

"Short-term local solutions are still needed to address environmental concerns about river pollution. Councils are calling for a doubling down on long-term action to protect rivers by focusing reducing pollution at source."

Extra funding would help councils build on the effective prevention work to tackle loneliness which has saved millions of pounds and cut emergency hospital stays.

COVID-19’s expected long-term health impact needs to be recognised in future public health and social care planning.

People are being urged by councils to check in on vulnerable friends, neighbours and relatives to ensure they are safe with parts of the country set to experience low temperatures.

Tougher powers are needed for councils to oversee and regulate out-of-school settings (OOSS) – including being able to shut down illegal schools – after an independent report commissioned by the Government uncovered major safeguarding concerns. The Department for Education funded a pilot in 16 council areas over an 18-month period into the oversight of OOSS, examining safeguarding risks and existing legal powers available to councils. OOSS is a wide range of provision including uniformed organisations, sports and leisure clubs, supplementary schools, faith-based organisations and arts clubs

Only 15 per cent of adults say they are making plans for how they will pay for care they might need in the future.

Mark Lloyd CBE, Chief Executive of the Local Government Association, will be leaving the organisation after eight years in the role. He is the organisation’s second longest-serving chief having taken on this national leadership role after a decade running two councils.

Millions of people living in rural England are at risk of being “left behind” and missing out on their fair share of future prosperity following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, council leaders warn today.