Briefings and responses

The Local Government Association (LGA) is here to support, promote and improve local government. We will fight local government's corner and support councils through challenging times by making the case for greater devolution, helping councils tackle their challenges and assisting them to deliver better value for money services. This response has been agreed by LGA Resources Board Members. 

Prior to the Spending Review, the LGA estimated that councils faced cost pressures of £2.6 billion in each year up to 2024/25, to keep services at their 2019/20 levels of access and quality – without addressing any pre-existing pressures.

There is cross-party consensus within local government that integration is the only way to achieve a sustainable and effective health and care service.

Councils are committed to ensuring new homes are built and communities have quality places to live. It is vital that these are delivered through a locally-led planning system with public participation at its heart which gives communities the power to ensure new developments are of a high standard, built in the right places, and include affordable homes.

The absence of additional funding for social care will have knock-on effects on the viability of providers and the sustainability of the NHS.

Councils have a key role to play in building good quality social homes, and in enforcing strong standards. In addition, local authorities must be empowered to provide access to the right infrastructure, through the planning system, to allow people to live healthy lives.

We are concerned by the lack of consultation undertaken ahead of the Information Commissioner’s Office new charging model being laid before Parliament.

A diverse range of bus services operate outside England’s major cities, from inter-urban connectors through small networks around towns to relatively long-distance services often providing the only transport link to small communities other than a private car.

Since its launch in May 2013, over 100 councils across the country have signed the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control.

The Domestic Abuse Bill introduces important measures which will help to raise awareness of domestic abuse and will go some way to providing additional support to domestic abuse victims and helping to challenge perpetrator’s behaviour. It is a positive step in the right direction.