Briefings and responses

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.

Councils and households are working together to increase recycling rates, with plastic packaging collected by councils doubling over the past decade. Councils are ready to take on the challenge of improving recycling rates further.  

We welcome the opportunity to respond to the Government’s Reforming our Fire and Rescue Service White Paper.

The Government published the Reforming the Mental Health Act white paper in August 2021, which sets out proposed changes to the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA) and wider reforms of policy and practice around it. This briefing summarises the key points of the white paper with regard to people with a learning disability and autistic people.

This briefing provides the LGA view on relevant amendments tabled by the Government on 15 November.

This briefing provides the LGA view on relevant amendments tabled for the Committee Stage amendments on the Renters' Reform Bill, heard on 17 November 2023.

The LGA welcomes the long-awaited Renters’ Reform Bill which 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.

The Renters (Reform) Bill is a flagship piece of legislation introduced by Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary Michael Gove to deliver on the Government’s 2019 manifesto pledge to reform the private rented sector (PRS).

The LGA is concerned that a number of amendments to the Renters Reform Bill could weaken key measures, including the ban on ‘no fault’ evictions, the redress scheme and essential enforcement measures. We urge the Government to make progress with the Bill and bring an urgent end to Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions.