Briefings and responses

The LGA supports the further roll out of lane rental to any authority that wishes to make use of the powers. We would also support more options being considered developing the Government’s proposed super permits. 

The Government is consulting on the policy design for a new tax that is proposed for the UK residential property development sector. The residential property developer tax (RPDT) will be introduced in 2022 and seek to raise at least £2 billion over a decade.

The LGA welcomes this consultation and many of the recommendations in the Independent Review.

The LGA has direct experience of the failure of the construction product testing regime in two respects: the testing of cladding systems and the testing of fire doors.

We call for opportunities for local government to help shape the work of Oflog. We are concerned that Oflog’s Data Explorer provides poor value for money. There is a need to ensure that Oflog’s ‘early warning conversations’ and peer reviews do not duplicate the LGA’s work. Oflog is not an independent body: this has implications for public trust in its work.

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Plan is an important opportunity to recognise local government’s leadership role in improving the mental health and wellbeing of our communities.

Councils are committed to working in partnership to create better places by using public sector assets more efficiently, creating service and financial benefits for partners, as well as releasing land for housing and other development to deliver wider social, environmental and economic outcomes for local communities.

The LGA welcomes the Government’s second stage of proposals for non-domestic and domestic standards that will support achieving the UK’s commitment to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.

Whilst we support an increased focus on design, we are concerned that because ‘beauty’ is subjective, striving for, or allowing ‘beautiful’ development to be fast-tracked may not lead to the quality homes and places communities want and need. Councils need tools that will empower them to create great quality homes and places and stop poor development, rather than supporting those deemed to be ‘beautiful’.