Briefings and responses

The information contained in this briefing draws on a wide range of feedback from councils.

Our 'On the day' briefing for local government

Access to fast and reliable broadband is vital infrastructure for supporting growth, particularly in rural areas.

Councils work hard to support children with a range of vulnerabilities, including those who are eligible for free school meals

Councils and their partners worked tirelessly at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, under the Government’s ‘Everyone In’ directive, to support people sleeping rough or in high risk, dormitory-style accommodation into more appropriate accommodation. Many councils have continued these efforts well beyond the first national lockdown period.

Councils have been at the forefront of activity ahead of, during and after flooding to support their residents and businesses.

We particularly welcome the Government’s allocation of £8 million towards support for children who witness domestic abuse, which followed the LGA’s call for an urgent injection of funding into early intervention initiatives that provide support for children experiencing domestic violence.

The visitor economy sector has taken one of the biggest financial hits due to COVID-19. Gaps in support packages alongside the absence of the seasonal boost the industry usually sees over the summer means the impact of the pandemic will be felt in the weeks and months to come, with many at risk of closure.

COVID-19 has put adult social care firmly in the public, political and media spotlight. This emergency has highlighted the essential value of social care to the wider public and this interest needs to be harnessed in the debate about the future of care and support. Long-term reform is urgently needed and we are calling on the Government to set out its thinking before the summer recess.

The ability of councils to provide the support needed to all carers, is undermined by the funding to councils and the impact on social care budgets, coupled with increasing demands and increasing costs. We are calling on the Government to use the upcoming Spending Review to fund the £3.1 billion shortfall facing children’s services by 2024/25.