Briefings and responses

Councils once again have a key role in delivering more affordable housing and helping to build 300,000 new homes a year.

Councils once again have a key role in delivering more affordable housing and helping to build 300,000 new homes a year.

Councils have a key role to play in building good quality social homes, and in enforcing strong standards. In addition, local authorities must be empowered to provide access to the right infrastructure, through the planning system, to allow people to live healthy lives.

We welcome the steps that have been taken to date to address dangerous cladding and other fire safety issues, including the ban on combustible cladding. However, the Government needs to act with urgency to deliver protections for residents in dangerous buildings as quickly as possible.

We support the principle of biodiversity net gain and the broader ambitions of the 25 Year Environment Plan to be the first generation to leave our natural environment in a better state than we found it.

Councils are approving 9 in 10 planning application and in almost 70 per cent of planning appeal cases the Planning Inspectorate uphold councils’ decisions.

A summary of the main recommendations of relevance to local government and the LGA's initial response.

"Allowing councils to keep money from fines is helpful, but may not address the cost of the proactive work necessary to ensure letting agents are complying with the ban."

The private rented sector has more than doubled in size since 2002. To accompany the rise in the number of private renters, councils have stepped up their engagement with landlords.

We support the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Bill. Councils want their residents to live in homes that are decent, safe and secure, and councils’ housing teams work hard to ensure homes are fit for purpose.