LGA


Council chiefs call for ‘urgent clarity’ about self-isolation scheme funding 21/09/2020 Local authority leaders have called on the Government to clarify how already over-stretched councils will be reimbursed for the new self-isolation support scheme.
Councils warn millions of homes do not have a working smoke alarm 21/09/2020 Councils have launched an urgent fire safety drive after figures showed that more than two million homes in England do not have a working smoke alarm.
Councils warn of 'housebuilding fiasco' 15/09/2020 New government housing targets will lead to a north-south divide in England, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned.
Councils 'deeply concerned' about fall in children's social care referrals 07/09/2020 The number of children being referred to social care services fell by a fifth during lockdown, council leaders have warned.
Third of local areas face secondary school shortage within five years 04/09/2020 A third of local areas in England could run out of secondary school places within five years, new analysis has warned today.
Councils call for more investment in suicide prevention 02/09/2020 Local authority leaders have called on the Government to invest more in public health to help councils prevent suicide with a locally-driven approach.
Council chiefs announce net zero innovation programme 02/09/2020 Councils and universities can apply for a new Net Zero Innovation Programme to address climate challenges at a local level, the Local Government Association (LGA) and UCL announce today.
Hancock under pressure on anti-obesity plans following PHE closure 24/08/2020 Health secretary Matt Hancock is under growing pressure today to say who will take responsibility for the national fight against obesity following his decision to close down Public Health England (PHE).
Obesity stigma fuelling ‘severe impact’ on adult social care 20/08/2020 Weight-related stigmas need tackling to help prevent rising levels of obesity having a significant impact on adult social care, local authority leaders say.
Council chiefs urge parents to ensure vaccinations are ‘up to date’ 17/08/2020 Local authorities are urging parents, families and guardians to contact their local GP, school or health centre to make sure their children’s vaccinations are up to date.
Applications for the Design in the Public Sector programme now open 11/08/2020 Local authorities in England are now able to apply to take part in the Local Government Association’s (LGA) climate change-themed Design in the Public Sector programme.
Council test and trace teams to be rolled out 10/08/2020 Local coronavirus test and trace teams are to be rolled out to all upper-tier English councils.
Local government associations pledge to tackle abuse of councillors 10/08/2020 The UK's four local government associations have pledged to work together to tackle the rise in abuse targeted at elected members.
Councils call for tougher licensing powers to tackle COVID-19 safety breaches 10/08/2020 Councils have called for a temporary change in licensing laws to allow them to close down premises that are not protecting the public during the pandemic.
Calls for urgent investment in mental health recovery 07/08/2020 Investment in mental health is crucial to seeing the country through the next phases of the pandemic, a new report has said today.
Reforms to fast-track local plans 06/08/2020 Councils will face sanctions unless they draw-up local plans within 30 months under government proposals to overhaul the planning system.
Council chiefs call on Government to help local creative industries 05/08/2020 New guidance has been published to help over-stretched councils support their local creative industries recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
Councils call for adequate funding to tackle modern slavery 30/07/2020 Council leaders have warned children's services are under significant pressure after the number of child modern slavery referrals increased by 1,400% in five years.
Calls for a social care 'reset' 27/07/2020 Social care must not return to the way it was before the pandemic, a coalition of councils, charities and health and care organisations have warned.
Councils call for public health funding to avert obesity crisis 27/07/2020 Council leaders have warned that the Government must reverse public health funding cuts in order for any new obesity strategy to be successful.
Government launches Spending Review 21/07/2020 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has warned of ‘tough choices’ as he launched the Comprehensive Spending Review.
Launch of sustainable development guide for councils 17/07/2020 A new guide to help councils engage with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been launched.
Calls to devolve £5.2bn flood defences funding 14/07/2020 Councils have called for funding for flood defences to be devolved to local areas, after the Government announced its new long-term plan to tackle flooding in England.
Councils issue warning over £730m of unspent EU funding 13/07/2020 Nearly a quarter of the European Social Fund is at risk of being sent back to Brussels, the Local Government Association (LGA) has said.
Pools, gyms and leisure centres set to re-open 10/07/2020 Councils leaders have welcomed the news that gyms, swimming pools and leisure centres will be allowed to re-open later this month.
Council peer reviews go virtual 09/07/2020 Peer support for councils is going virtual to help them deal with recovery and renewal as they emerge from the coronavirus lockdown.
Planning rules relaxed to support outdoor dining 26/06/2020 The Government has temporarily lifted planning rules to allow pubs, restaurants and cafes to serve customers outdoors.
Councils pledge to deliver inclusive growth post-Covid-19 24/06/2020 Councils are taking steps to ensure their communities and local economies are more inclusive post-Covid-19, a new report has revealed.
Councils call for 100,000 social homes for key worker 'heroes' 22/06/2020 A new report has called for 100,000 social homes to be built each year for health, care and other key workers.
Councils issue warning over test and trace scams 22/06/2020 Councils have warned that criminals are trying to exploit the test and trace system by trying to convince people they must pay for the testing kit.
EXCLUSIVE: 'Make local elections a "mini-referendum" on fair funding' 16/06/2020 The main parties at the Local Government Association could turn next year’s local elections into a ‘mini referendum on fair funding for all councils’, according to the director of the Political Skills Forum.
Councils predict one million new low-carbon jobs by 2050 11/06/2020 The low-carbon and renewable energy economy could create nearly 700,000 jobs by 2030 in England, increasing to 1.18 million by 2050, a new report has revealed.
Councils call for tougher action on ruthless loan sharks 08/06/2020 Council leaders are calling for tougher sentences for loan sharks who are pushing vulnerable people further into debt.
Adult care coronavirus costs to reach £6.6bn by autumn 05/06/2020 The majority of the extra financial pressure is being borne by local government, according to new research.
Councils call for access to cheaper short-term loans 05/06/2020 Councils should have access to short-term loans with delayed repayments to help them through the coronavirus pandemic, the Local Government Association (LGA) has said today.
Councils will need £6bn to balance budgets this year, says LGA 29/05/2020 Councils will need another £6bn to cover the costs and lost income caused by the coronavirus crisis, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned.
‘Golden opportunity’ to end rough sleeping 22/05/2020 The Government has been urged to commit £100m to councils in a bid to end rough sleeping in England.
Councils call for power to close schools at higher risk of Covid-19 15/05/2020 Council leaders have called for the power to close schools or nurseries that have new clusters of Covid-19.
Johnson announces £600m for infection control in care homes 14/05/2020 Councils have welcomed the £600m extra funding for infection control within care homes.
Councils call for access to data for effective contact tracing 11/05/2020 Crucial data must be shared with councils in order for effective contact tracing to take place, the Local Government Association (LGA) has said.
Councils warn about surge in virus-related scams 11/05/2020 Council leaders have reported a 40% increase in reported scams since the start of the coronavirus crisis.
Councils call for more time to spend Right to Buy cash 28/04/2020 Council leaders have called for more time to spend money from Right to Buy sales, as most housebuilding has been halted in the wake of coronavirus.
Councils call for more clarity on special needs duties during pandemic 28/04/2020 Councils have warned they are struggling to deliver statutory support for children with special educational needs and disabilities due to dealing with the demands of coronavirus.
Councils warn adult education services need grant funding 24/04/2020 Councils have warned that emergency grant funding is needed to protect adult education services.
Care home coronavirus deaths quadruple 21/04/2020 The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show the number of coronavirus deaths in care homes quadrupled in the week ending 10 April.
Councils call for suspension of academy conversions during Covid-19 crisis 14/04/2020 Council leaders have warned the time and resources being spent on converting schools into academies is undermining efforts to provide enough school places for children during the Covid-19 crisis.
RSPCA urges pet owners to fill out a pet care plan 07/04/2020 Councils have been urged to encourage pet owners to display pet care plan posters in the event of an emergency.
Councils warn bus services could collapse as a result of coronavirus 31/03/2020 Council chiefs have called on the Government to provide emergency funding to ensure bus services do not go bust during the coronavirus epidemic.
Council chiefs say new Fire Safety Bill ‘step in the right direction’ 20/03/2020 Building owners and managers of high-rise and multi-occupied buildings are to be held to account for the safety of their residents thanks to new legislation.
Councils secure funding to deliver preventative HIV drug 16/03/2020 Local authorities in England will receive £16m to deliver the preventative HIV treatment PrEP.
Cost of school uniforms pushing some families into debt 13/03/2020 Councils have urged schools to take a 'common-sense' approach to the cost of uniforms, after parents warned this was affecting their choice of school.
Electoral Commission calls for autumn polls 12/03/2020 May’s local elections should be postponed until the autumn, the Electoral Commission has said.
Councils warn 3.6 million extra cars are damaging Britain’s roads 09/03/2020 Council leaders have warned the number of extra cars being driven on the roads would cover the entire length of Britain’s coastline if lined up next to each other.
Councils face £6.5bn funding gap by 2025 06/03/2020 Local services are facing a £6.5bn funding gap over the next five years, town hall chiefs have warned today.
Public back local tourism taxes 24/02/2020 More than half of residents think councils should have the power to set a tourism levy, according to a new survey.
Councils warn moves to license hand car washes must be fully funded 14/02/2020 Councils have warned that any attempt to licence hand car washes must be fully funded by license fees.
Council chiefs cautious about plans to offer 30% discount on new homes 07/02/2020 Local authorities have urged the Government to ensure that the proposed First Homes scheme does not come at the expense of providing ‘affordable’ homes for rent.
Councils slam Grenfell's witnesses' immunity request 07/02/2020 Councils would be unlikely to use products from any company that fails to cooperate fully with the Grenfell Tower inquiry, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned.
End housing allowance freeze to help 100,000 people, council chiefs say 05/02/2020 More than 100,000 people would be protected from financial hardship if Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates were lifted to cover the cost of renting, local authority leaders say.
Best practice to help children avoid reaching crisis point 04/02/2020 Historic underfunding and a fragmented system are preventing councils from stopping more children from reaching crisis point, a new report has found.
Help end ‘scandalous’ dumping of child car seats, LGA tells manufacturers 03/02/2020 Local authority leaders have called on manufacturers to take back child car seats once they have reached the end of their life to prevent them being sent to landfill.
Poorer areas to lose 'hundreds of millions' under proposed changes 27/01/2020 Former ‘red wall’ areas are to lose millions of pounds under the fair funding review, analysis by LGA Labour Group has found.
Councils call for £500m to upgrade outdated leisure centres 27/01/2020 A quarter of all council-run leisure centres have not been refurbished in more than 20 years, new figures have revealed.
Sector presses for further action on cladding 21/01/2020 Building safety reforms billed as the ‘biggest change for a generation’ do not go far enough to clamp down on potentially dangerous cladding, councils argued this week.
Councils losing £250m a year through business rates avoidance 17/01/2020 Councils are losing £250m a year due to businesses avoiding paying their rates, new research has found.
Council chiefs call for permitted development right to be ‘scrapped’ 13/01/2020 Local authority leaders have warned that communities are potentially losing out on thousands of affordable homes due to office conversions which bypass local planning offices.
Councils call for new powers to verify mobile phone coverage 10/01/2020 Council leaders have argued Ofcom should be given the power to independently verify mobile phone coverage.
Cuts drive up the number of children in care by nearly 30% 09/01/2020 Council chiefs have warned that the care system is ‘reaching breaking point’ as figures reveal that the number of children in care has risen by more than a quarter over the past decade.
Eight councils to receive £20,000 to develop ‘behavioural insights’ 08/01/2020 Eight local authorities are to receive £20,000 each in order to help them develop new ways to change the behaviour of residents as part of an effort to reduce demand on overstretched councils.
‘Toughen up’ fly-tipping sentences, council chiefs say 06/01/2020 Local authority leaders have called for tougher sentences for fly-tippers as the latest figures reveal that offences have increased by 50% in six years
NHS business rates claim rejected by High Court 12/12/2019 Councils have successfully defended a claim for billions of pounds of tax relief for NHS trusts.
Council chiefs warn of ‘fake toys’ danger 09/12/2019 Local authority leaders have warned people to be careful of counterfeit toys and suspect online sellers in the run up to Christmas following recent seizures of harmful products.
Councils voice concerns at smoke alarm failure rate 02/12/2019 Council leaders have warned that almost 40% of battery-powered smoke alarms failed to activate in residential fires last year.
Councils warn FGM is still under-reported 29/11/2019 There have been 22,500 new cases of FGM identified in the past four years, according to new figures published by NHS Digital.
Councils call for more investment in early intervention 21/11/2019 Council leaders are calling for extra funding in children’s services to ensure they can fulfil the ambitions of the Children’s Act.
Councils make £930m profit from parking 18/11/2019 Councils in England made a profit of £930m last year from their parking operations, new figures have revealed.
Councils warn 'unclear' labelling is hindering recycling efforts 07/11/2019 Councils are calling for a series of new measures to help boost recycling rates.
Councils welcome increase in funeral expenses payments 06/11/2019 Councils leaders hope the increase in funeral expenses payments will help lower the number of public health funerals.
LGA reveals successful applicants for its housing advisers programme 05/11/2019 Fourteen local authorities are to receive funding to pay for independent expertise to help overcome housing challenges in their local areas.
Outdated taxi laws putting public at risk, councils warn 01/11/2019 The Government has been urged to reform 'outdated and flawed' taxi laws by the Local Government Association (LGA).
Local government sector guide to tackling loneliness launched 29/10/2019 Local authority leaders have joined forces to produce a guide on how to tackle loneliness for commissioners, service providers, councillors and others working in the sector.
Council chiefs call for an end to ‘patchwork’ of careers advice 29/10/2019 Local government leaders have called on Whitehall to hand funding and control of national skills schemes to local areas as they warn thousands of young people risk missing out on careers advice.
Councils urged to make case for private capital investment 29/10/2019 A new guide has been published to help councils attract private and foreign investment into local areas.
Councils warn about ‘spiralling’ rate of child modern slavery referrals 18/10/2019 Councils have warned the number of child victims of modern slavery referred for support has risen by 800% in the past five years.
Cost of B&Bs for homeless people rockets 14/10/2019 Councils are being forced to spend more than £90m a year on placing homeless people in bed and breakfasts, council chiefs have warned.
Hike in PWLB rate will cost councils £70m a year 11/10/2019 The 1% increase to the Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) rate will cost councils £70m a year, town hall chiefs have warned.
Climate change targets ‘unlikely to be met’ without funding, council chiefs say 03/10/2019 National climate change targets are ‘unlikely to be met’ unless local authorities are given long-term funding and more powers, council chiefs say.
Queen's speech: Time to 'reignite the devolution process'? 01/10/2019 The Local Government Association wants more power devolved to local councils, but there's a big question mark at the heart of the policy, says Mark Whitehead
Councils issue warning over toxic skin-lightening creams 30/09/2019 Local government leaders have warned of the dangers of skin-lightening creams that 'act like paint stripper' and increase the risk of cancer.
Councils call for new taskforce to tackle climate change 25/09/2019 Council leaders have proposed setting up a national taskforce with Whitehall departments to tackle climate change.
Council chiefs say they ‘desperately’ need certainty on post-Brexit funding 24/09/2019 Local authority leaders have called on the Government to ‘urgently publish’ its plans for a scheme to replace Brussels funding when the UK leaves the European Union.
Councils demand power to tackle rogue lorry drivers 02/09/2019 Councils are calling for the power to fine rogue lorry drivers who flout weight restriction limits.
Council leaders call for Right to Buy reforms 27/08/2019 Councils have urged the Government to reform the Right to Buy scheme in next month's Spending Round.
Give councils powers to help young people into work, council chiefs say 23/08/2019 Council chiefs have called for more powers to help young people into work as figures reveal a dramatic increase in the number of young people not in education, employment or training.
Councils save £100m through sector-led improvements 20/08/2019 Councils have saved more than £100m in the past year by using the Local Government Association’s sector-led improvement (SLI) offer.
Drug poisoning deaths up 16% in face of public health cuts 16/08/2019 Council chiefs warn that cuts to public health grants are a ‘false economy’ which make it more difficult to provide support and treatment to drug users.
Councils call for tougher sentences for loan sharks 12/08/2019 Council leaders have warned people not to use loan sharks after latest figures show debt advice enquiries have hit a record high.
Declaring a climate change emergency 09/08/2019 Local authorities can play a key role in tackling climate change – and there is plenty for them to do. Never before has thinking globally and acting locally been more important, says Mark Whitehead.
‘Tombstoning’ youngsters risk death, council chiefs warn 05/08/2019 Local authority leaders have warned young people not to risk their lives jumping from great heights into the sea or rivers during the summer holidays.
New Office of Veterans’ Affairs needs ‘teeth’, council chiefs say 30/07/2019 Local authority leaders have welcomed the creation of a new position within the cabinet dedicated to veterans’ affairs, but warned it should be ‘given teeth’.

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This issue of Public Property examines how how flexible workspaces can lead the way in regeneration for local authorities, Why local authority intervention is key to successful urban regeneration schemes and if the Government’s challenge of embracing beauty is an opportunity for communities.

The March issue also takes a closer look at Blackburn with Darwen Council's first digital health hub to help people gain control over health and care services.