Briefings and responses

On behalf of its membership, the cross-party LGA regularly submits to Government consultations, briefs parliamentarians and responds to a wide range of parliamentary inquiries. Our recent responses to government consultations and parliamentary briefings can be found here.

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Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, Consideration of the Commons amendments and reasons, 23 October

Councils are extremely disappointed that the Government has removed Lords amendment 82, which would have enabled local planning authorities to set fees for planning applications at a level that covers the cost of processing them.

View allHousing and planning articles

Renters’ Reform Bill, Second Reading, House of Commons, 23 October 2023

The LGA welcomes the long-awaited Renters’ Reform Bill which will help to deliver a fairer, more secure, and higher quality private rented sector (PRS). The Bill introduces a range of reforms to achieve this, including abolishing unfair Section 21 “no fault” evictions; ending the system of assured shorthold tenancies; creating a new register of PRS landlords and property portal to improve data on the PRS and drive up standards across the sector; and establishing an Ombudsman for the PRS to help tenants and landlords to resolve disputes.

LGA Response to Defra’s consultation on the draft Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and packaging waste) Regulations [2024]

The LGA’s response sets out our views on the draft regulations that will set up the new system of producer responsibility for packaging. This will require producers and manufacturers to pay councils for the cost of dealing with used packaging in household waste and recycling.

View allWaste articles

Consultation on implementation of plan-making reforms

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities held a consultation on implementation of plan-making reforms between 25 July and 18 October 2023. A genuinely local, plan-led system delivers positive outcomes for places and communities. The LGA are supportive of the plan-making process being sped up in order to help achieve greater coverage of plans across the country, but only where there is no dilution of plan quality, and democratic and community engagement.

Backbench Business Committee Debate: Support for childcare and the early years, 16 October 2023

The Chancellor’s announcement in March 2023 of 30 hours of free childcare for every child with working parents aged from nine months to five years means we need to understand what works and what will ensure councils can deliver on their sufficiency duty. Changes to the early years system should not just be seen as quick fixes around the sides: a more holistic view of what works, what would support the workforce, and how to ensure there is high quality early education and childcare should be considered.

View allChildren and young people articles

Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, Consideration of Lords amendments, 17 October 2023

Councils are broadly supportive of the guiding principles of the planning reforms in the Bill. However, we remain deeply concerned that the proposed Infrastructure Levy (IL) will deliver fewer affordable homes and expose councils to excessive levels of financial risk. We have urged Government to scrap the Infrastructure Levy, and instead work with us and sector partners to improve the current system of developer contributions.

View allDevolution articles

LGA response: Invitation to comment on the 2024/25 Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting in the United Kingdom, October 2023

We note that there are several instances where changes to the Code are being considered in order to bring it into line with international standards, but that the proposal is that the specific changes will not be made because they are not relevant to local authorities. We strongly support this approach. It is our view that international standards should be applied when necessary but will only add complexity if applied when not relevant.

LGA response : Public Sector Audit Appointments Consultation on the 2023/24 audit fee scale

We appreciate the difficult context for the setting of the audit fees for 2023/24. Local audit is in an ongoing crisis and this has made the fee setting process more difficult. Nevertheless, we accept that the proposals made by PSAA are the best way of calculating the audit scale fee figures that can be made in the circumstances.

Consultation on permitted development rights

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities held a consultation on permitted development rights, including additional flexibilities to support housing delivery, the agricultural sector, businesses, high streets and open prisons; and a call for evidence on nature-based solutions, farm efficiency projects and diversification between 24 July and 25 September 2023.The LGA are dismayed and strongly oppose the Government’s pursuit to extend national permitted development rights further. We continue to call for them to be urgently revoked.

LGA response: Consultation on Local Government capital risk mitigation measures in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill: capital risk metrics

The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill will give the Secretary of State significant additional powers to review and intervene in individual councils, and ultimately to be able to make strong directions, such as capping borrowing or forcing the sale of specific assets.

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