Briefings and responses

Democracy and standards in public life are vital at a national and local level. However, increasing levels of toxicity in public and political discourse are deterring people from standing for election and representing their local communities.

Councils are committed to ensuring new homes are built and communities have quality places to live. It is vital that these are delivered through a locally-led planning system with public participation at its heart which gives communities the power to ensure new developments are of a high standard, built in the right places, and include affordable homes.

Waste and recycling are among the most valued services any council provides. They are used by all council taxpayers and represent the third biggest spend item in a council’s budget. A doubling of spend by councils to £3.28 billion has seen recycling rates improve 400 per cent in the last decade.

Councils have been successful in establishing recycling infrastructure and services. 99 per cent of local authorities currently collect plastic bottles, and over half (52 per cent) provide drop off points for plastics.

This emergency has highlighted the essential value of social care and public health to the wider public and this needs to be harnessed in thinking about the future of care, support and wellbeing when we look beyond the pandemic.

It is vitally important that the nation’s local roads network enables commuters, businesses, residents and visitors to travel easily and freely within our local areas.

The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted that broadband is essential infrastructure. Access to fast and reliable broadband connectivity is vital to help communities stay connected, drive inclusive recovery and create quality jobs.

In order to contribute most effectively, councils need earlier involvement in decisions at a national strategic level, and local government should also have representation on longer-term bodies like the Tourism Industry Council.

Libraries are trusted spaces, free to enter and open to all. They provide people with the opportunity to read and learn with a range of books, digital and other resources. The way people use libraries is changing, and councils have a key role in their development as these changes take place, including exploring alternative models of delivery such as trust or community-run libraries.

Fly-tipping is an environmental and public health hazard. It blights our streets and green spaces, and often rewards criminal activity. Local authorities want to work with the Government to strengthen deterrents to fly-tipping and ensure those who illegally dump waste are punished.