Briefings and responses

Councils recognise they have an important role to play in tackling domestic abuse, alongside partners in health, education, housing, the police and wider services.

Progress continues to be made in carrying out remediation to the 45 council-owned and 100 plus housing association-owned blocks with combinations of aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding and insulation that have been found not to meet the building regulation standards.

A key issue for local government is business continuity and the ability to plan for the sustainability of essential public services and that local private and public sector employers have a steady supply of the skills they need to thrive and grow.

The consultation and its proposals are wide ranging. In our response we will only comment on aspects of the consultation document that are of direct interest to local government.

The timing of these regulations presents a major issue both for councils and for employees.

The LGA’s Environment, Economy, Housing and Transport Board (EEHT) considers energy supply and distribution to be one of the top three risks to growth, the environment, and the economy. EEHT will be asking representatives of the Distribution Network Operators, National Grid, Ofgem and BEIS to meetings to discuss the role of local government in this once-in-a-lifetime transition.

The LGA has responded to the call for evidence in the Government’s Review of gaming machines and social responsibility measures. The LGA’s response calls for maximum FOBT stakes to be reduced to £2, and for councils to have greater powers to limit the numbers of gambling premises in their areas.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the scope and effectiveness of section 75 arrangements. We have chosen not to answer all 30 specific questions included in the supporting document to the call for evidence. Instead, the high-level views of the LGA about the scope and effectiveness of section 75 financial flexibilities are summarised in paragraphs 5 – 19.

The LGA has called for the Government to introduce a mandatory levy on the gambling industry to fund research, education and treatment. This view is supported by other organisations, including GambleAware, the charity responsible for minimising gambling-related harm.

As the consultation notes, rough sleeping and begging can often be conflated, and the overlap between them is complex.