Publications

Councils are currently half way through a scheduled 40 per cent cut in funding from central government. Having delivered £10 billion of savings in the three years from 2011/12, local authorities have to find the same savings again in the next two years.

This local Healthwatch Reflective Audit has been developed to help you understand how well local Healthwatch is working in your local area. It also helps you understand whether other organisations are introducing changes as a result of working with local Healthwatch.

This outcome and impact development tool has been designed to promote the development of local Healthwatch as an independent organisation that can effectively and efficiently deliver its functions.

The examples demonstrate how councils have been able to reduce 16 to 18-year-old disengagement to an all-time low and increasingly support older young people towards work. Evidence demonstrates the value of creating personal advisers for individuals, planning provision across places, and brokering leadership and support into work.

Coming to terms with operating in a no overall control environment can be challenging for leading members and senior officers alike. Whilst everybody will want to respond in their own way and in the context of their own local situation it can also be helpful to learn from others.

Voters and tax payers have a strong interest in increasing the amount of material from households that is reused and therefore not sent to landfill or for incineration. In addition to the significant environmental benefits and social value reuse can create, there is a strong economic and business case for it too.

The council role in school place planning: Making sure there are enough school places locally' looks at some of the measures taken by councils to meet the recent surge in demand for school places and gives a five-point plan which the LGA believes is necessary to ensure councils have the funding and power to create the further new places needed.   

The Local Government Workforce Survey 2012/13 provides information on key elements of the local government workforce. The survey was conducted by the Local Government Association (LGA) and updates previous surveys in the series.

The planning system has been reformed five times since the Second World War but this has had little effect on house building.

The planning system is vital for shaping the future growth of our society. Where it works well, it is one of the best tools that we have to unlock economic growth and to deliver the homes and jobs that are needed in our towns and cities.