Briefings and responses

The average annual cost to a council of a special needs placement in 2017/18, was £6,000 per pupil per year in a mainstream school, compared with £23,000 per pupil per year in a maintained special school, and £40,000 per pupil per year in an independent or non-maintained special school.

"Over recent years councils have created an extra 800,000 new school places. This is a demonstrable record that shows they are doing everything they can to rise to the challenge of ensuring no child goes without a place."

All children deserve access to the best possible education. Data shows that council-maintained schools receive better Ofsted ratings, and improve more quickly, than academy schools.

The anticipated Levelling-Up White Paper presents an opportunity to reset the relationship between central and local government and put councils at the heart of delivering the Government’s ambitious programme to improve opportunities in all parts of the country. 

Councils are a unique and powerful leadership and delivery partner in achieving Net Zero and adapting to climate change.

Councils are best placed to safeguard the future of high streets. As leaders of place, councils have shown innovation in repurposing their town centres and responding to longer-term trends in how our high streets are used.

We welcome the introduction of the Fire Safety Act and the Building Safety Bill and hope they will be an important step in the right direction. We are however concerned about some of the practicalities of the implementation of new fire safety legislation for both resident safety and local authorities.

Local government plays a leading role in achieving net zero carbon, and therefore halting temperature rises. Almost two thirds of councils in England are aiming to be carbon neutral 20 years before the national target and 91 per cent of local authorities have adopted at least one net zero commitment, according to the National Audit Office.

Only a publicly financed substantial programme of council house building supported by government grants for construction will help the Government meet its target of 300,000 new homes. This means cooperation and partnership across the sector, including Government, councils, housing associations, landowners/developers, and the construction sector.

To meet the Government’s aspirations for the build out of new homes to help deliver 300,000 new homes per year, the Government needs to provide councils with the tools to encourage and oblige developers to build out sites with permission in a swift and timely manner.