Briefings and responses

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.

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. 

The LGA broadly supports the Bill’s focus on improving the health and wellbeing of the population through greater integration between NHS organisations and between the NHS and local government. We also support the duty on the integrated care board (ICB) and all local authorities within the integrated care system (ICS) to have regard to the integrated care strategy in making decisions. 

The LGA supports the objective of the Local Government (Disqualification) Bill to ensure the highest standards of integrity and conduct in public life.

Councils are determined to prevent and stop domestic abuse in all its forms. They play a vital role protecting older people from abuse through a range of front-line services, and have a statutory responsibility for safeguarding vulnerable adults with care and support needs.

It is vital that new burdens funding is provided to councils to support the proactive work necessary to ensure compliance with the legislation. This will enable councils to ensure compliance through supporting freeholders to understand and comply with the new requirements, with financial penalties being used as a matter of last resort.

Councils retain the majority of their legal obligations to promote high educational standards in their areas and the Department for Education (DfE) should therefore continue to provide funding to ensure these obligations can be met. It is wrong to ask schools, who have their own budgetary pressures, to fund councils for their school improvement functions.

White Ribbon UK is part of the global White Ribbon movement to end men’s violence against women. UK White Ribbon Day, on 25 November 2021, is a national day to raise awareness, educate and campaign to change the cultures that lead to violence against women and girls and marks the start of the 16 days of Action to end gender-based violence. 

There are around 10 million adults in England who drink above the UK Chief Medical Officers’ low risk guidelines, including more than two million who drink at higher risk and an estimated 587,000 who are dependent on alcohol.

Councils already play a key role in supporting people with Down syndrome to help them live the lives they want to lead, including through their social care functions and their work with partners, particularly the voluntary and community sector and schools.