News

Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, responds to the Gambling Commission’s report on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals.

"Councils are determined to protect children in their communities, but with essential children’s services expected to experience a £2 billion funding gap by 2020, they face real challenges."

“Only with the right funding and powers can councils continue to make a difference to people’s lives by supporting families and young people and help tackle serious violent crime in our local communities.”

"The Grenfell Tower fire has exposed a system for ensuring buildings that are safe which is not fit for purpose. The use and misuse of desktop studies is at the heart of the problem"

"Councils will not tolerate the exploitation of people in their communities and are committed to protecting the most vulnerable in society."

“It is great that the Government has honoured its commitment from last summer to meet the unexpected exceptional costs for councils arising from major remedial fire safety work on high-rise buildings.”

“This announcement is fantastic news and a sensible decision to help tackle the harm these machines can cause."

"Our immediate priority is to ensure that a fire like that at Grenfell never happens again, and to make certain the buildings which people live, visit and work in are safe today. It is therefore disappointing that Dame Judith has stopped short of recommending a ban on combustible materials and the use of desktop studies, both essential measures to improve safety."

Lord Porter, Chairman of the Local Government Association, responds to the announcement by Communities Secretary James Brokenshire that the Government will launch a consultation into banning the use of combustible materials in cladding and insulation systems on high-rise residential buildings.

Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, responds to the Government’s announcement of the introduction of medical examiners and reforms to death certification in England.