Briefings and responses

The Local Government Association (LGA) supports the overall aims of the Online Safety Bill (OSB), which makes provisions for the regulation by Ofcom of certain internet services.

The Non-Domestic Rating Bill implements a number of changes to the system of non-domestic rates (known as business rates) in England and Wales.

We welcome the proposal to increase planning application fees. However, our modelling has shown that even if all application fees were uplifted by 35 per cent, the overall national shortfall for 2020/21 would have remained above £80 million. Councils must have the flexibility to set planning fees at local level to cover their costs relating to planning, which could include the employment of additional qualified planners. This would put councils in a stronger position to address the skills and capacity challenges in planning departments.

The Non-Domestic Rating Bill implements a number of changes to the system of non-domestic rates (known as business rates) in England and Wales.

The Non-Domestic Rating Bill implements a number of changes to the system of non-domestic rates (known as business rates) in England and Wales.

Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of ill health and mortality in England. Councillors and officers recognise the harm that smoking inflicts on their communities and the importance of continuing to drive down smoking prevalence.

Loneliness is a problem for people of all ages throughout the life course. It does not just affect older people.

To improve the lives of the armed forces community across the whole country, councils want to work closely with the Government before, during and after the transition of service personnel into civilian life.

We strongly support a preventative, assets-based approach to health, which recognises that the essential components of good health go far beyond NHS treatment and care.  An assets-based approach supports repeople to make healthy choices and enables them to live healthy, independent and productive lives. If they have health and social care needs, our approach is to provide community-based and person-centred care and support which enables them to live independently and live their lives as they choose.

Smoking is the single largest cause of preventable death and the biggest cause of cancer worldwide. As well as impacting upon health, smoking places a significant burden on the public purse, to the tune of £12.6 billion each year.