On behalf of its membership, the cross-party LGA regularly submits to Government
consultations, briefs parliamentarians and responds to a wide range of parliamentary inquiries. Our recent
responses to government consultations and parliamentary briefings can be found here.
The Local Government Association (LGA) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Government’s consultation on aspects of the COVID-19 funding for local government in 2021/22. The LGA is here to support, promote and improve local government. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, the LGA has consistently highlighted the financial pressures of the pandemic on local government and continues to make the case that the Government should cover the full impact of the crisis. This response has been approved by members of the LGA Resources Board.
Councils are uniquely placed to build communities that are inclusive, cohesive and promote people’s life chances. They do this by tailoring more than 800 local services to the needs of their residents, to meet local and national challenges.
On the face if it this seems like a straightforward proposal with the aim to ensure that the existing Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) guidance is followed, which is what already happens for the vast majority of local authority debt. However, the results of the proposed changes will be more far reaching than that and there will be significant financial consequences for some councils which will need to be addressed.
Councils have an excellent track record in welcoming unaccompanied children for many years and continue to work hard to support the many programmes for refugees and asylum seekers in current operation.
We support the Government’s ambition to improve the service and support that victims receive, and hope that the Victims and Prisoners Bill and related non-legislative measures will help to improve victims’ confidence to report crimes and seek justice, as well as to rebuild their lives.
The LGA is calling on DSIT to coordinate the multiple bodies involved in the Public Switch Telephone Network switchover (digital phone switchover). Coordination and accountability are vital to align communications messaging and ensure sectors and consumers, including the most vulnerable, are protected and prepared for the upgrade process.
The 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.
"We know that addressing violence is not a single agency issue. Local partners have to develop and deliver a strategic, coordinated approach to tackle youth violence in their local areas."