LGA

• Councils ‘struggling’ with increase in children on protection plans

  More than 180 children are placed on child protection plans every day to keep them safe from harm, local government leaders say.

  

• Loneliness prevention initiatives can save councils £2m, council chiefs say

  National health policy needs to recognise the ‘cost-effective benefits’ of initiatives designed to tackle loneliness, local government leaders say.

  

• Ability to replace Right to Buy homes almost ‘eliminated’, council chiefs warn

  Local authority leaders have warned their ability to replace homes sold under Right to Buy (RTB) will be all but eliminated within five years without ‘major reform’.

  

• Government commits £400m to remove dangerous cladding

  The replacement and removal of unsafe cladding by councils will be fully funded by the Government, at an estimated cost of £400m.

  

• Councils urged to apply for Housing Advisers Programme

  Councils are being urged to bid for support from the Housing Advisers Programme to help overcome housing challenges in their local areas.

  

• Funding for new peer reviews of children's services

  The Government has announced a £8.5m programme to help councils work together to improve outcomes for disadvantaged children.

  

• Councils chiefs call for a ‘residential revolution’ in older people’s housing

  Local authority leaders have said they should be granted the powers necessary to undertake a ‘desperately-needed’ residential revolution in older people’s housing.

  

• Council chiefs get £1.5m to ‘bolster’ cyber security

  The Local Government Association (LGA) has been awarded £1.5m to help councils defend themselves against hackers and other cyber security threats.

  

• Council chiefs warn Treasury against ‘blocking’ plans to fight gambling addiction

  Local authority leaders have warned the Treasury not to ‘block’ plans to reduce the maximum stakes offered by betting machines, arguing it will ‘hinder’ efforts to tackle problem gambling.

  

• Councils call for new 'Fibre to the Premises' Kitemark for new homes

  Housing developers must ensure all new builds have a digital connection ‘fit for the 21st century’, council chiefs say as they call for a Fibre to the Premises Kitemark.